The 38 Best Restaurants in Calgary, Canada
The Calgary restaurant scene certainly isn’t what it used to be — and that’s a great thing. Once known as Cowtown for its strong beef industry and carnivorous cuisine, the city’s food and drink community has grown in dynamic ways over the past decade. Chefs have innovated on classic Canadian dishes, like the vindaloo-spiced Caesar cocktail at Moti Mahal and the shawarma-topped poutine at Beirut Street Food, even as stalwarts like River Café and Silver Inn Restaurant continue to deliver for longtime loyalists.
Today there are plenty of reasons for all types of hungry travelers from outside of Western Canada to pay a visit. From a robust Vietnamese food scene, to Top Chef Canada alumni working serious magic with Korean cuisine and fried chicken, to a swank 40th-floor restaurant, here are some great reasons to get excited about Calgary.
Prices per person
$ = Less than 20 CAD (less than 16 USD)
$$ = 20- 40 CAD (16-32 USD)
$$$ = 40 – 70 CAD (32 – 55 USD)
$$$$ = More than 70 CAD (more than 55 USD)
Dan Clapson is The Globe and Mail’s restaurant critic and columnist for the Prairie region. He is also co-owner of Calgary’s The Prairie Emporium as well as the digital media outlet Eat North, a judge for various restaurant award systems, and a regular culinary guest expert on Canadian morning television programs and radio. Clapson’s first cookbook, co-authored by Twyla Campbell, is scheduled to be released in late 2023 through Appetite by Random House.
Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
